Dr Ling Liong Sik's assurance to the public that the MCA would not meddle with the two Chinese papers that it is acquiring should be respected and people should find comfort in that assurance.

After all MCA has proved time and time again that its record of non-interference cannot be challenged. In the recent past the decision over denying high achievers places of their choice in universities of their choice was not interfered with. The Damansara Chinese school matter was another where they successfully refrained from interfering.

In the matter of Suqiu being referred to as communists was once again left untouched by them. The fact that there was inconsistency between the published policy of recruiting a certain percentage of non-bumiputras into public service and what actually happened was also not interfered with.

And the list goes on about a thousand different happenings in the country that Dr Ling Liong Sik and his beloved MCA have not interfered with despite their duty that comes with being the second most influential political party in the government.

With all that practice and experience of non-interference with matters they are beholden to have a say and influence in, I am assured that Ling means what he says and it will be so. I do not see any reason why the Chinese should not believe him or feel perturbed by MCA's purchase of the two so far independent newspapers.

After all the Chinese were the ones who provided the support in the last elections that won this government their right to rule. And that includes giving them the right to do anything at all that they so please!